[Written at top in different handwriting, in pen]
Mothers Brother John

Pensacola, June 6th 1862

Dear Sister

It is some time since I have heard from you, and I thought perhaps you had not got my
letters. I have received a letter from Martha Cathy. Charles had writ[t]en to her to find
out my address. I got one from Aunt Olive, he had writ[t]en to her also for my address,
but she had forgot[t]en it.

I have writ[t]en a number of letters to you and sent my address in all but one. I should
like to hear from Charles very much. I wondered why he could not get my address when
I had sent it to you so many times.

Well, I will write again and perhaps you may get this.

The 75th Vol. [?] [75th New York Infantry] are at present quartered in the City of
Pensacola. It is a very pleasant place and I should like to stay here all Summer if we have
to stay anywhere. I presume you will hear of the Evacuation of Pensacola long before
this reaches you, so I will not give a very lengthy description [sic] of it. As soon as the
rebels heard that we had taken New Orleans, they made preparations for leaving
Pensacola. They moved some of their best Guns and spiked the rest, and on the 10th of
May they set fire to all the Government Property they could and left. The destruction of
property was immence [sic] nearly thirty millions of dollars. The Marine Hospital alone
cost four million. They did not sucede [succeed] in destroying [sic] the Marine Barracks,
Fort Barrancas nor the light house, all of which was found to be undermined. The spikes
have all been removed out of the Guns they left, and mounted in their proper places. The
75th cros[s]ed over the next day after the fire and landed at Fort Barrancas nine miles
from the City of Pensacola. There is a small village called Warrington there and another
called W[o]olsey near.

The City of Pensacola has the appearance ofbeeing [sic] quite Ancient. Most of the
buildings are wood and in a dalapatated [dilapidated] condition the streets are not paved
and the side walks are very poor. We have a very pleasant sight [site] for our camp. It is
located on a public square near the center of the city. The city is nearly all deserted.
There was a good many came back since we have been here, some of the People were]
so ignorant as to believe that we were] beasts that we had homes [sic] and tails like an
ox and that we would hook them to death and tread them under foot. The suf[f]erring of
the poor has been very great. Every thing was scarce and high, there was no work, and
no pay for what little they did do. They were] offer[e]d high wages board and cloth[e]s
if they would enlist, or death if they would not. Many have been pressed into the servis
[service] in this way, those that would not enlist had to flee for their lives and live the
best way they could. The greater portion of the inhabitants now in the city are Blacks,

and it is quite amusing to hear them talk about the Yankeys [sic] as they call us, and the
secesh.

I will tell you the price of some things here, flour $25 per Barrell [sic], Bacon 50 cts. Per
lbb. [pound], sugar 35 cts. per lbb., Tea [$3.00] per pound, Butter one dollar per [lbb.],
Eggs 75 cts. per Doz., milk 30 cts. Per qt. [quart]. Coffee 1.50 per lbb., shoes[7.00 per pr
[pair]. Boots 15.00 per pr, &c. [etcetera], and every thing els[e] in the same ratio.

This is the city price. Of course] we get our things much cheaper. I have paid 50 cts. a
lbb. for Butter and twenty cts. a qt. for milk.

Well, I must close for this time. The weather is very pleasant, and it is quite healthy now.
My health was never better than at preasant [sic]. There is Green corn here but none in
market [sic] there is oranges, lemonds [sic], figs, plumbs [sic], peaches and grapes, none
of which are ripe yet except the plumbs, there is not ma[n]y fruit trees here only some in
the door yards, all kinds of flowe[r]s bloom here all the year round.

From your Brother
John

Transcribed by Katrina Fields, University of Florida, 2008 and Nicole Milano, University
of Florida, 2009.